Chapter 16
—
Martin Valdé struggled to finalize the player list for the upcoming third-round World Cup qualifiers.
‘The national team? It’s nothing complicated. The core players are always the same. Just think a bit about a few spots, and that’s it… That’s what they said, wasn’t it?’
Martin Valdé grind his teeth every time he looked at the list in front of him.
He had worked hard with his coaching staff to compile it, but why didn’t it sit right with him?
‘PUTA! (Damn it!) They said it was easy, but this is ridiculously hard! Why did I even listen to that bastard Rubens? He’s the England manager, so of course he can say stuff like that! Damn it, this is Korea!’
Martin Valdé.
A young Spanish manager who proved his skills at Galatasaray and Benfica.
The first thing he prioritized when he took the job was none other than the Defensive Midfielder position.
To the untrained eye, they might just seem like players stationed at the back of the midfield, only defending.
But anyone with even a bit of deeper knowledge about football understands how critical this position is—and how talent there is almost extinct.
‘Remember Real Madrid during their Galácticos era? They brought in England’s star David Beckham, went all-out with an attacking strategy, and let Claude Makélélé go. After that, they couldn’t maintain defensive balance and fell apart.
‘Or look at Liverpool. They managed fine with Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano, but after Alonso left, they had a gaping hole in their defensive midfield, dropping to seventh place. When Mascherano left, they nearly hit relegation!’
Defensive Midfielders were this crucial in the early 2000s.
And now?
In today’s game, where Pep Guardiola’s positional play dominates and buildup from the back is mandatory?
‘It’s even more critical. Not just defending—they must step forward, distribute the ball, make plays, and send long passes when needed.’
Valdé knew it.
There’s nothing as stabilizing for a team as having a proper Volante.
No matter how brilliant the second line is, if the midfield is broken, their offensive potential cannot shine.
“Moon Tae-hwan, playing for Al Shabab, and Shin Nam-hyuk of Gwangju… Are they really my best options?”
That was his dilemma.
Could he really achieve good results on the World Cup stage with these players?
Could he implement his desired system on the pitch with players of this quality?
He thought about it day and night, tirelessly running simulations.
Yet, even after all this, Valdé wasn’t confident.
That’s why he brought his team to watch Gwangju’s game.
‘It’d be great if someone could show good form now that they’ve been improving lately…’
With that slim hope, Martin Valdé found himself at Jeonju Castle, four days before the final roster announcement.
“Hey, you trash bastards! The player I’ve been looking for is right there! Pick him immediately! No excuses!”
“W-Wait, Coach! But that player has only played three league matches. His form is good, but imagine the criticism we’ll get at the press conference!”
“Why? Is there some rule in Korea that says a player must have played 10 league matches to make the national team? If I say pick him, you pick him! Why so much fuss?”
The unexpected discovery of Baek Ian left Valdé stunned.
This was the player.
The one who could fill every gap that led to his failures at Newcastle.
“Holding, box-to-box—he can do everything! His style suggests he could even play as an anchor! If we don’t pick him, who else is there?”
Not selecting him would be an act of negligence as a manager.
Panting from his passionate outburst, Martin Valdé reflected on his youth.
He remembered being dismissed by senior players in the football world simply for being young.
He recalled those wretched managers who kept him off the bench despite his excellent performances in practice.
He didn’t want to become one of those bastards.
If that’s the case…
‘I must use my power for him.’
It was time to show Baek Ian—and the unjust world around him—what a proper adult should do.
Whoosh!
“C-Coach! Why are you suddenly—wait, why are you tying your tie around your head?”
Breathing heavily, Valdé grabbed a red tie and tied it around his forehead.
Snap!
With the red band firmly in place, the coaches could see a determined, defiant adult before them.
“I oppose! I oppose! If Baek Ian isn’t selected, I, Martin Valdé, will not move from this spot! I will resist to the end!”
“C-Coach! Hey, you guys! Help him up!”
“Yes, sir! Coach! Please don’t do this here—”
“Don’t touch me! I’m not leaving! Make your choice! Add Baek Ian to the list, or I’ll die here!”
***
[Game Over]
Jeonbuk Mirae Motors 2 : 0 Gwangju FC
43rd minute Baek Ian
68th minute Yoon Seung-hwan
The match ended in our victory.
Three consecutive league wins, and four in a row if you count the Asian Champions League.
Perhaps because the team was expected to falter again this season?
The community buzzed as Jeonbuk’s upward momentum continued longer than anticipated.
[Shocking Stats for Jeonbuk Mirae Motors’ Baek Ian]
[Jeonbuk vs. Gwangju: Baek Ian’s 20-Meter Wonder Goal LOLOLOL]
[Jeonbuk vs. Gwangju: Sealing Goal by Yoon Seung-hwan After the First-Half Wonder Goal]
– “But don’t you think Jeonbuk’s early momentum feels too strong? It really seems like a genuine revival. Their gameplay is just too good to be a flash in the pan.”
└ “No matter how you look at it, Baek Ian is the real deal. Kang Sang-yong, who was the original starter, was good, but Baek Ian outclasses him in every way.”
└ “Don’t even compare our Ian to someone like Kang Sang-yong. That guy loses to Suwon and then goes clubbing. Ian’s character is on a whole different level. He even signs autographs so diligently.”
└ “Looking at how he seems to deliberately injure Yoon Seung-hwan and his interviews, Baek Ian doesn’t seem to have such a great personality either, lol.”
└ “Uh, actually, Yoon Seung-hwan said his closest teammate is Baek Ian. They’re really tight.”
– “But what’s the real reason behind Jeonbuk’s revival? Changing a few players and the coach, can it really make this big of a difference?”
└ “It’s because those few players are absolutely critical. When rebuilding a team, the top priorities are usually the fullbacks and the defensive midfielder. The center-back position is important too, but Jeonbuk’s center-backs were already decent. That’s why the rebuilding effects are hitting so hard.”
└ “Appointing Seon Ki-baek as the coach was also a good decision. Kim Chun-jae usually falls off form around this time of the season, but he’s been more consistent since switching to a box-to-box defensive midfielder. And their tactics feel tailored to Baek Ian and Yoon Seung-hwan, so the games are so fluid.”
Some comments might be a bit irritating, but I decided not to pay too much attention to them.
‘Even in my past life as a player, I learned this the hard way. No matter how well I play, I can’t make everyone happy.’
It’s almost impossible to satisfy everyone. Naturally, there will always be people who dislike me no matter what.
‘So why bother? As long as I perform well on the big stage, my supporters will naturally grow.’
Rather than stressing over people who won’t appreciate me, it’s better to focus on those who do.
Just like right now.
[Dad] : (Video link) “Wow! Look at this. They’re calling you the heart of Jeonbuk’s revival. Of course, it’s because you take after me.”
[Mom] : “What do you mean, ‘take after you’? Oh, please. Have you even seen our son sprint? The way he runs is clearly from me. Right, A-Yoon?”
[Shin Ah-yoon] : “Oh, Mom, you’re absolutely right. Watching Ian’s stride with that midfoot technique, I immediately thought of you!”
[Dad] : “??? Ian’s mom doesn’t run with a midfoot technique, though?”
[Shin Ah-yoon] : “Now that I think about it, Dad, there’s something about Ian’s movement during the game that reminds me of you too! Ehe~”
[Dad] : “Our daughter-in-law is such a charmer. I thought she was only quick on her feet, but her ability to switch topics so smoothly is also impressive.”
“Whew. At least I won’t get scolded after this, right?”
Dad, Mom, and Ah-yoon, who put down her phone and let out a sigh of relief.
For a moment, I imagined my parents arguing at home over who I resemble more, but I decided not to dwell on it.
[Father-in-law]: “By the way, rewatching the video, our son-in-law is really something else. Especially that long-range goal—made me think of Gerrard. Maybe Ian could be Liverpool’s next Gerrard.”
[Mother-in-law]: “??? What kind of nonsense is this old man saying? ‘The next Gerrard’? Are you telling me you want to see my son-in-law crawling on all fours like Gerrard on the pitch?”
[Father-in-law]: “Crawling on all fours? What nonsense are you spouting now, woman? Are you trying to start a fight here?”
[Mother-in-law]: “A fight? Remember when you insisted on naming Ah-yoon’s prenatal nickname Steven Gerrard? And how did that turn out? The kid was 18 months old and still crawling around!”
[Shin Ah-yoon]: “Ah, Mom, please… I have a boyfriend, and you’re saying things like that?”
[Shin Seung-ah]: “Sis, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Not being able to walk properly at that age is just a fact we have to accept.”
[Father-in-law]: “What’s wrong with Gerrard as a nickname? And you’re no better! When you were pregnant with Seung-ah, you named her Pep Guardiola, and we had to spend a fortune on her hair loss treatments later on!”
[Shin Seung-ah]: “Dad, that was years ago…”
[Shin Ah-yoon]: “Haha, Seung-ah, there’s nothing wrong with hair loss. Let’s just embrace it. So, should Ian and I have spicy stir-fried octopus for dinner?”
“This lunatic just called me ‘hey,’ didn’t she?”
I glanced to the side and saw Ah-yoon furiously tapping away on her phone.
It felt like another round of WWE was about to break out. While I was tempted to join the conversation, I figured it was best to let them have their moment.
And besides, who was blowing up my phone?
[Yoon Seung-hwan, Me, Han Gang-rok, Han Kyung-rok] (43)
“43? What is this?”
I knew the three of them had gotten close recently, but I didn’t realize they were chatting this much.
What could they possibly be talking about to rack up so many messages?
Curious, I opened the chat.
[Firstborn of the Fullback Dynasty]: “You deceivers! Weren’t we all supposed to go to the national team together as equals? Yoon Seung-hwan, prepare to have your head bashed in.”
[Youngest of the Fullback Dynasty]: “Yeah, that’s right. Yoon Seung-hwan, you’d better submit the equipment approval forms ahead of time.”
[Yoon Seung-hwan]: “What the hell? Why are you all ganging up on me now?”
“What is this? National team? What are they talking about?”
I scrolled up through the chat history, my eyes widening in shock.
[Yoon Gang-rok]: [“A rookie who hasn’t even played five matches gets an unprecedented call-up! Martin Valdé, the national team coach, stirs controversy by saying, ‘It’s stupid not to select the player who’s in the best form just because they’re young. If you don’t like it, fire me and do it yourselves.’”]
[Youngest of the Fullback Dynasty]: “?????????????? No way! You’re telling me both Yoon Seung-hwan and Baek Ian made the national team? Take me too!!!!”
‘I got called up?’
I couldn’t believe it. My jaw dropped in disbelief.
—
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